Whether you are planning a major marketing campaign, your annual report, exhibition catalogues or something simple, the print specification you create has a direct impact on environmental performance, carbon reporting and supply chain transparency.
Most print briefs still focus almost entirely on price and turnaround time. Healeys can help you consider how you can achieve sustainable goals, what questions to ask your print experts and why Healeys have already invested to ensure you are able to achieve the very best in every print project.
Whether you are looking to start your sustainable production journey by reducing sustainable print impact or have specific Scope 1, 2 or 3 targets, starting with the right brief is a step in the right direction. With much to assess and to avoid 'greenwashing', working with a printer who has already established the processes, reporting and standards is a great place to start.
As one of the first Carbon Balanced Printers in the UK and the first SME printer to have their Science Based Targets (SBTi) recognised, we know the key areas every business and buying team should include when preparing a sustainable print brief or tender - and how choosing the right print partner can significantly improve both environmental and commercial outcomes.
We’ve created our Sustainable Print Guide to help guide and ask the right questions for your next project.
Sustainability is no longer a “nice to have” in any business. It is now central to supplier selection, tender evaluation and corporate governance for many companies - and even if you're a business without this in place, majority of companies prefer to make better choices for production where they can.
At the same time, there are still widespread misconceptions about print and paper. Research from Two Sides and the Love Paper campaign continues to demonstrate that paper, when responsibly sourced and properly recycled, is one of the most sustainable communication mediums available.
The real sustainability challenge how print is specified, produced, distributed and recycled.
Working with our clients, we are able to explore different ways to achieve sustainable success. Here one of our clients shares a fantastic project where the carbon footprint was carefully measured.
Start by defining what sustainability means for your business and your next project.
This could include:
The clearer the objectives, the easier it becomes for your print partner to recommend the right production route.
Paper selection has one of the biggest influences on the environmental impact of print. However, sustainable procurement is not simply about choosing “recycled paper.” The right specification can balance aspects such as recycled content and what is most suitable for your project:
Research from Two Sides shows that paper fibres are reused multiple times within the recycling process and that paper remains one of the strongest examples of a circular economy material. (staging2.twosides.info)
As a knowledgeable print partner, Healeys will also advise when recycled stocks are appropriate and when responsibly sourced virgin fibre may actually provide better environmental and functional outcomes for a project.
This is one of the most overlooked sections in print buying. If your business reports against SBTi targets or broader ESG commitments, your print partner should be able to provide meaningful carbon data, not vague sustainability claims.
Buying teams should ask:
Many suppliers claim sustainability credentials, but few have independently validated emissions reduction pathways. This is where supplier selection becomes critical and the field can narrow as few UK printers can meet this criteria – Healeys is one of only a few.
Environmental certifications should never be treated as a tick-box exercise. They provide procurement teams with evidence that sustainability systems and processes are embedded operationally. With Healeys, the investment over the years has developed
Healeys has in place a range of actions across the business reducing impacts, recycling and re-using materials where possible.
The way a project is produced can dramatically influence its environmental impact. An effective sustainable brief should encourage every to recommend the most efficient production route, including:
This is why procurement teams benefit from working collaboratively with experienced print partner early in the planning process. Good print buying is not simply about buying ink on paper. It is about designing a more efficient manufacturing process from the outset.
Transport emissions often form a major part of print-related Scope 3 emissions. When considering how to reduce the 'last mile' in production, Healeys will advise on how to achieve lower impacts where possible:
Forward-thinking print suppliers can reduce environmental impact significantly through smarter fulfilment strategies and consolidated distribution.
Sustainable print procurement should consider what happens after the product has been used. By deciding at the start with the end in mind, it can signal clearly to the recipients what they can do with the items you have produced.
By showing clearly if an item can be recycled at home or whether it needs to be placed into more specialist recycling can close the loop – and tell your customers and clients how you actively support sustainable initiatives.
Not every print process is fully recyclable so this stage of your briefing is important.
Simple specification changes can dramatically improve recyclability without compromising visual impact.
A sustainable print specification is only as effective as the print partner delivering it. The best print partner does more than simply quote a job. Healeys help procurement, buying and marketing teams make better environmental decisions, reduce waste, improve reporting and align print activity with wider ESG objectives.
Healeys has built sustainability into every stage of its print production and operational strategy. Healeys have already committed to a 42% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 against a 2020 baseline. Healeys operates with renewable energy initiatives, supporting carbon balanced print through the World Land Trust. With a pledge to reduce operational emissions year on year, Healeys are tireless in their pursuit of great production. It is why so many businesses trust Healeys to work collaboratively with them on important sustainability projects.
For businesses and teams seeking a print partner capable of supporting both creative excellence and measurable sustainability outcomes, Healeys provides the expertise, transparency and environmental leadership required for modern print procurement.
Buying your print sustainably is no longer simply about choosing recycled paper.
It is about creating intelligent specifications that reduce environmental impact, support measurable carbon reduction, improve supply chain transparency and deliver genuinely effective printed communications.
The clients achieving the strongest sustainability outcomes are those working closely with Healeys, who are advising strategically, reporting transparently, investing and innovating to achieve the best outcomes. By building sustainability into the print brief from the very beginning, organisations can ensure they deliver print which performs commercially, creatively and environmentally.
And with Healeys, your print can remain one of the most powerful - and sustainable -communication channels available today.
To book a meeting, call back or to simply explore more about Healeys work, click here.